Australian under-16s given social media ban

Australia has become the first country in the world to ban children under 16 from social media platforms in response to what the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says is a "clear, causal link between the rise of social media and the harm [to] the mental health of young Australians".

- Helen Sullivan

The Australian parliament's upper house, the Senate, passed the bill yesterday by 34 votes to 19, despite warnings from academics, politicians and advocacy groups that the ban could backfire by driving teenagers to the dark web or making them feel more isolated.

There are questions about how it will work in practice. Many worry that the process has been too rushed, and that, if users are asked to prove their age, it could lead to social media companies being handed valuable personal data.

The online safety amendment (social media minimum age) bill bans social media platforms from allowing users under 16 to access their services, threatening companies with fines of up to AU$50m (£26m) if they fail to comply.

However, it contains no details about how the prohibition will work, stating only that the companies will be expected to take reasonable steps to ensure users are 16 or over. The detail will come later, through the completion of a trial of age-assurance technology in mid-2025. The bill will not come into force for 12 months.